Kick-off: 1500, 25/02/2023
Stadium: Goodison Park
Sean Dyche is two from two at Goodison Park as Everton boss and will be eyeing another crucial Premier League victory versus Aston Villa.
However, Villa have won the past three head-to-head meetings between these teams and last lost to the Toffees back in 2016.
We feel 11/5 for an honourable stalemate on Merseyside may satisfy both sides here and that is our first Everton vs Aston Villa prediction.
Toffees look tougher under Dyche
Having upset Arsenal 1-0 on Dyche’s debut, Everton climbed out of the relegation zone when beating fellow strugglers Leeds by the same scoreline.
Captain Seamus Coleman netted against the Whites and believes last season’s narrow escape can have a positive effect as they seek to drag themselves clear of the bottom three again.
Having Dyche at the helm is seen as another boost, due to his past experience of keeping Burnley in the top flight.
Coleman commented: “This year, you realise that we’ve been here before, we know what it takes, we know that we’ve got to stick together.
“That’s the most important thing – and the manager’s played a big part in that in the last couple of weeks.
“He’s got experience, he’s tough, he’s confident in himself.”
Backed by strong home support, Everton are expected to put in another dogged display and should be hard to beat.
Looking at the Everton vs Aston Villa odds, we like 10/3 for the scores to be level at half-time and full-time.
Last Everton line-up: Pickford, Tarkowski, Mykolenko, Coleman, Coady, McNeil, Onana, Doucoure, Iwobi, Gueye, Maupay.
Amadou Onana has been declared fit after being forced off in the win over Leeds, but Everton will remain without striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin. James Garner and Nathan Patterson are not quite ready to return, while Andros Townsend is a long-term absentee.
Emery must try to steady Villa ship
Unai Emery made a big impression after succeeding Steven Gerrard as Villa boss in October but now faces a test of character following three straight defeats.
The Midlands outfit have conceded 11 goals in those games, going down 4-2 at home to Leicester and Arsenal either side of a 3-1 loss at Manchester City.
Those last two matches were tough fixtures, though, and Villa deserve credit for pushing the Gunners close.
They led twice through Ollie Watkins and Philippe Coutinho and were still on level terms heading into stoppage time.
Emiliano Martinez was then unfortunate to see a Jorginho strike rebound off the bar and into the net via the back of his head.
Arsenal’s fourth was scored into an empty net after Martinez had gone up for a corner.
“It’s a really frustrating defeat,” skipper John McGinn told the club’s official website. “That’s three in a row now and it’s something we need to amend quickly.
“There were parts of it that were positive; we certainly took the game to Arsenal and we did have chances to go and win the game.
“But it’s not how we want to play – we want to control games.”
Experienced head coach Emery is expected to try and tighten things up at the back, especially early on.
With the visitors having only scored three times before the break in 11 away games, 8/5 for this clash to be 0-0 at half-time completes our Everton vs Aston Villa betting tips.
Last Villa line-up: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Moreno, Douglas Luiz, McGinn, Coutinho, Kamara, Buendia, Watkins.
Defender Diego Carlos is edging closer to full fitness after rupturing an Achilles in August.
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